


Red in Tooth and Claw

by shiftylinguini



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Aftercare, Biting, Blood, Cuddling, Friends With Benefits, HP Next Gen Fest 2019, Hand Jobs, Harry Potter Next Generation, Humor, M/M, Negotiations, Recreational Drug Use, Vampires, Werewolf Biology, Wolfpire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-05
Updated: 2019-11-05
Packaged: 2021-01-07 21:14:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21224294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shiftylinguini/pseuds/shiftylinguini
Summary: The first time Teddy asks if he can, James shrugs and says, "Sure, go for it", and Teddy has to rethink the whole thing.





	Red in Tooth and Claw

**Author's Note:**

> HUGE big thanks to my beta and alpha team, you are angels, and to the mods for running this fest! 
> 
> Additional notes: there is no blood play in this, however there is blood drinking, biting, a bit of reference to wound care, and some bad Dracula jokes.

***

The first time Teddy asks if he can, James shrugs and says, "Sure, go for it", and Teddy has to rethink the whole thing. 

It's not that he expected James to kick him out. They're in Teddy's house, for starters, Netflix playing through Teddy's tinny laptop speakers, so James'd have to be the one to leave. Given he's only in boxer briefs and a vest, and halfway through a pizza and a spliff, Teddy doesn't think James's moving anytime soon.

But still, he figured James would give it a bit of thought. Maybe mull it over, have a small crisis of the 'best mate wants to drink my blood' variety. Teddy would do that, if he were James. He's possibly having a crisis for James anyway. 

Teddy doesn't like the word _vampire_. It's loaded, makes him think of tacky Draculas drooling blood down their pasty white chins. It's not really accurate either, for what Teddy is, but there isn't really a better term. And he does drink blood, so. Arguing the semantics of '_I'm wolf offspring, I need blood on my gums or I go a bit mental_' versus '_I'm an undead supernatural being_' seems a bit pedantic. 

He avoided using it when he told James what he was, what he sometimes needed to do. _Blah blah wolf genetics blah blood fangs blah_. It was hard to make himself heard over the din of the pub they were at, leaning together across the table so Teddy could shout that he sometimes drank blood in James's ear. James went through roughly the same set of reactions most people did when Teddy told them: Disbelief, humour, annoyance, surprise, acceptance. And in James's case, an added deep morbid curiosity. 

Teddy didn't need to feed that often. Once a week at the blood bank and he was set, fighting fit. He didn't need that much either. Honestly, movie vampires were just greedy, draining a whole person. Greedy and messy eaters in Teddy's opinion, and unwilling to consider alternative options. 

Of course, Teddy couldn't get too much on his high horse, considering he'd just asked a friend if they'd offer a vein, but like. Whatever. James is a mate, and donated blood doesn't really compare to _fresh_ donated blood. Teddy asked politely, too, so as not to freak James out. 

He is feeling weird that James hasn't even freaked out a bit, though. 

"So." Teddy frowns, watches James chew unattractively on a thick pizza crust. "Did you, like, hear me properly?" 

James nods, picks at his teeth. "Yep. '_James would you be open to considering letting me bite you_'." James drops the half eaten crust back in the box, scratches at his thigh. "'_You're so attractive and desirable and like a blood-filled peach_'." ____

_ _ _ _"I did not say that last bit." James's grin is wide and sharp-toothed. Teddy finds himself staring at James's incisors, his heart beating oddly fast. "I'd never call you a peach," Teddy adds, distractedly. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _James snorts. "Fair enough. I have many peachy assets, though, I'll have you know. So—" He flops his hand in a vaguely rousing gesture. "Yes, Edward, I heard you, yes it's fine, I am well open to this. Have at it." He sits back against the pillows, tilts his head to the side and bares his neck. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"James." Teddy laughs, half in embarrassment. It's just, this is _so_ not how Teddy pictured this going. "Don't you have, like, questions? Put it away, mate." He shoves at James's shoulder, still laughing, until James tilts head back upright. "You should have questions," Teddy insists. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _James shrugs, exasperated but lazy. "Like what? Please don't kill me?" James shoots Teddy a withering look. "I've already gathered you're not planning on killing me."_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"'Course not, James."_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _James flips the pizza box shut, nodding decisively as he drops it over the side of the bed. "Then that's about it on my end. Please don't kill me, also don't ask me my blood type 'cos I can never remember it."_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"But don't you wanna, like, know why I'm asking at least?" Teddy knows he's pushing it, but he's known James for years, since Teddy and his nan moved back to London from Australia, when Teddy was sixteen. James is usually the one who _pushes_ and pokes at things, and he rarely agrees to anything without making a song and dance about it, even if the answer was always going to be yes. Teddy's feeling a bit blindsided by this easy acquiescence, this un-James-like accomodation. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Teddy sits forward, rests his elbow on his crooked knee. He studies James's face for any secret misgivings or hesitation, but he just looks like he could do with a shave, and under that, a bit red-cheeked and buzzed. Teddy narrows his eyes thoughtfully, wondering if maybe that explains it. "Should we wait until you're not stoned?" _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Oh, please," James scoffs, rearranging the pillow behind his shoulders. "I'm hardly high." James's eyes narrow, his smile turning sly. "And anyway, pretty sure I was trashed when I sucked you off out the back of the World's End last weekend. How is this different?"_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _He smirks. Teddy does a momentary impression of a goldfish, before he recovers himself. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Well, 'cos my dick isn't, like. _Dangerous_, James." Teddy can feel his face getting hot. They don't often talk about their hookups, but they don't avoid it either. The two of them are close, and it happens. He'd be lying if he said it hadn't been on his mind recently, wondering on the likelihood of it happening again soon, given they're in a rare stroke of being single at the same time. He'd be up for it. He spends most of his nights here anyway, and James is great dating material. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _He's mostly blushing about having to refer to his cock and 'dangerous' in the same sentence. James looks like he's getting pretty close to giggling over it, too. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"You said it, mate." James grins, then pats Teddy on the shoulder. "Look, I'm sober. Well, sober enough," he amends at Teddy's pointed, raised eyebrow. "And even if I wasn't, my answer would be the same either way." _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Teddy frowns, enjoying the feeling of James's fingers massaging into his shoulder. "How d'you know that?" _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"'Cos I've thought about this before." James doesn't meet Teddy's eyes, but the statement doesn't seem particularly loaded either. It's hard to tell with James sometimes, whether he's holding back or he's really just not fussed. Teddys found it's usually 50/50, and either way, the truth will out with James. He's sneaky for a Gryffindor, but he's still a Gryffindor, in the end. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Okay." Teddy takes the dying spliff from James's fingers, then takes a drag. It's mostly tobacco; James is right, neither of them are really that compromised from their evening's activities. Teddy thinks he could use mellowing out right now, to be fair. "Okay," he repeats, a little more confidently. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Okay! We're on." James claps his hands, then settles back against the opulent pile of pillows at the top of Teddy's bed, like a scruffy renaissance cherub. "So, like, I'm assuming the neck―"_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Nope," Teddy cuts him off, blows smoke out the corner of his mouth. James frowns at him. "Not the neck," Teddy elaborates at James's quizzical look. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Err." For the first time since this conversation started, James looks surprised. "But, like. How then…" He trails off, the cogs in his brain clearly whirling. Teddy wants to laugh at the expression on his face: James Potter, startled chipmunk. It's cute. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"It'd hurt too much," he says, not quite answering James's question, but not _not_ answering it either. "On your throat." He reaches out, taps his fingers against James's Adam's apple, then down lower to the dip of his throat. "Stings like a bitch to get bitten there." He strokes a finger alone the soft skin, tries not to get too mesmerised by the blue shadow of veins he can see. James swallows. Teddy feels his throat bob against the faint press of his fingertips._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Right," James croaks, then clears his throat. "Is there a less sting-y place, then?" _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Mmm." Teddy nods and lets his hand drop down to James's arm. He's still holding the ash-ended spliff in his other hand, and he briefly leans away to stub it out in an empty glass on the bedside table. Without looking, he slides the hand on James's arm to the crook of his bare elbow. "Here is good. Won't hurt as much, juicy vein." _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Teddy grins lopsidedly as James makes a face. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Hurt like hell when I get blood taken there, though," he ponders, placing his own hand next to Teddy's. He pressed down contemplatively. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Yeah, it'll hurt less than your throat will but it'll still be…" Teddy presses a nail into the paper thin skin at James's bent elbow. "Y'know." _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Ouch," James mumbles, watching Teddy's finger. Teddy's not pressing hard enough to really hurt, or even break the skin. Not even a scratch. It's performative, but it gets the point across. "Anywhere else?" _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Sure." Teddy takes a moment. The third place is easily the least painful, but it's also easily the most intimate. James doesn't look put off so far, or like he's ready to high-tail it. He seems as keen as ever, fascinated by his own elbow all of a sudden. Teddy figures he might as well keep going. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Third place—" He leaves his hand on James's elbow, but moves the other to just above James's knee. He pokes him high on the inside of his bare thigh, right where the muscle and meat of James is thickest. "Here." _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Woah." James stares down at Teddy's hand, then up at his face. His cheeks are starting to flush, red blood pooling under the skin. Teddy wants to lick him. "That's my leg." _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Yep." _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"That's like, _right_ near my dick." _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Teddy laughs at James's bluntness, the slightly incredulous look on his face. "Yeah, look, we definitely don't have to do―" _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Where specifically?" James interrupts. His face is still flushed, but his voice is even, expression thoughtful. Maybe even calculating. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Oh, like." Teddy traces the hem of James's boxer briefs. "Pretty high up is good." He clears his throat. His mouth is the tiniest bit dry. His gums are starting to hurt a bit. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Yeah?"_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"From what I've been told, anyway." Teddy tucks his hair behind his ear. He doesn't move his hand from James's thigh, lays it down until his palm is against the soft skin. This high up, James's hair is sparse. Teddy's fingers are pretty damn close to touching his groin. Neither of them seem overly bothered by this fact. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Done this a lot, then?" The tilt of James's head is cocky and interested, like a curious bird. A peregrine, maybe. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Few times."_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _James grins. "Anyone I know?"_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Teddy pinches James's thigh cheekily. "Not saying." _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Boooo," is James's soft response, his expression soft but his eyes still alert as they flit over Teddy's face. "And what about you?"_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Teddy narrows his eyes as he parses out the questions. "Have I had it done to me?"_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _James shrugs, but also shakes his head. "I mean, sure I'm curious about that, yeah. But what I meant was―" He jiggles his thigh ever so gently, then tenses the muscle. Teddy can feel it move under his warm palm. "So you have a preference about location?"_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Teddy widens his eyes and opens his mouth in an 'ohhh' of understanding. He thinks for a moment. "Not really. I mean, it's all the same to me." _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Oh, nice." James feigns outrage. "Some seduction this is, Lupin. S'all the same to me, I'll just stick my fangs in anywhere." _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Okay firstly, I did not say that." Teddy points at James, sitting up right and finally moving his hand away from all of James's intimate bits. "And secondly, am I meant to be seducing you?"_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Wouldn't go astray, I mean, I'm not easy." James's Cheshire cat grin says he knows he is exactly that. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Really, 'cos I thought you were pretty much a sure thing here, Jamie>" Teddy pats James on the knee before ungainly hopping off the bed. He has to clamber over James and the roughly nine kilometres of legs he's got sprawled out over Teddy's bed. James swats at Teddy indignantly, although whether at being called out for being keen to be bitten or climbed on, Teddy isn't sure. He's too busy trying not to fall off the bed or put his foot in the half-eaten pizza. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Oi, where're you off to, thought we were doing the blood thing?!" James calls out as Teddy plays the complicated game of hopscotch which is walking across his room to the ensuite without stepping on any clothes, shoes or the odd discarded plate. James has been over a lot, and the pair of them are not prone to being tidy. They're kind of massive slobs._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"The blood thing?" Teddy repeats, obvious distaste in his voice as he pads barefoot in the bathroom and hisses at the cold tiles._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Okay fine, the feeding thing?" James tries. "Is that better?"_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Great, now I'm a mosquito," Teddy grumbles, tucking his hair behind his ear and opening a drawer to find what he's looking for. Tweezers, toothpaste, nine million bobby pins. He can never find a fucking thing in here. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _In the bedroom, he can hear James laughing. "What're you looking for, Ted, hurry up," he whinges. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Just gimme―Ah, there we go," Teddy responds, mostly to himself. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Yikes, what's all the kit for?" James asks, now lying mostly on his stomach and watching Teddy, and his armful of supplies with interest. Teddy dumps the lot of it on the bed. He kneels onto it just as James rolls onto his side, his vest twisting up to expose one nipple and the smattering of hair between James's pecs. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Tits are out, Jamie," Teddy points out helpfully, resisting the urge to flick James on the nip. James happily ignores him. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Antiseptic?" he reads off a bottle instead. With his other hand he prods at a small bag of cotton balls. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Do you know how gross the human mouth is?" responds Teddy, shuffling closer on his knees and inadvertently pulling his trackies down slightly in the process. He hooks his fingers in the hem and hikes them back up. He's suddenly glad this isn't actually a seduction; Teddy knows he's got game, he's pretty fit. He can pull when he wants to. Tonight, he is an uncoordinated doofus. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _James is in his pants and a wonky top, with his hair sticking up like a cockatiel's. They make a great pair. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Just brush your teeth," James suggests flopping onto his back and taking the small bottle of antiseptic with him. He lets it rest on his chest. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Teddy leans over him and plucks the tube from his hands. "Fangs, Jamie," he says pointedly, leaning over him still. He pops the cap off the tube of antiseptic cream with his thumb, holding James's eye contact. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"You got manky fangs, Ted?" James looks right back at him, grin sharp and teeth sharper. James has sharp teeth, pointy little incisors. That's nothing on what Teddy has going on once he gets properly started. Teddy pops the cap closed again, then sits up. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"You'll thank me later. When your leg doesn't drop off from the bite." He drops the cream on the bed. "It's for afters," he goes on, and James makes an _ahh_ face of understanding. Clearly he thought it was going on first, which is a fair assumption. It's all aftercare, though. Teddy means it when he says a bite from a human mouth can leave a nasty infection, especially if it's going in deep. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Sexy," James mutters. "Going on about infections, really getting me in the mood here." _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"You having second thoughts?" Teddy asks. He's more than ready to back out. He doesn't want to; he wants to taste James on his tongue a stupidly large amount. But he'll live if he doesn't. If James is feeling weird, then all he's got to do is say boo and Teddy will scram. Teddy's easy like that. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Nah." James smiles wonkily. "Actually is getting me a bit in the mood, if I'm honest." _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Teddy snorts a laugh, followed by another. James looks languid and relaxed and cheeky. He's a cat with the cream. He's a happy lion. Teddy sits up and rests his hands on James's knees. They're knobbly and fit nicely in his palms. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"So what now, Mr Lupin?" James gently sways his knees from side to side. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Teddy thinks for a moment. He doesn't really have a plan. He's done this before, but he didn't think James would say yes so readily. It's great that he has, but it's left Teddy in a rare moment of unpreparedness. Teddy waves a hand to set the lights to dim, then does it again; the ceiling fan slowly whirls to life, the soft _wshh wshh_ building as the blades pick up momentum. Teddy likes a bit of background noise. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Well." Teddy pats James's thick thigh. "Spread 'em, I guess." Teddy's a genius at impromptu plans―straight to the point, gets the job done. Masterful. James grins like he agrees and acquiesces, letting his legs fall open. He's a careless sprawl on the bed. Teddy settles between his knees. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Say red if you want to stop, okay?" Teddy says. His heart is racing a little as he looks down at the soft insides of James's thighs. It's such a tender spot on a person. _Vulnerable_. Teddy's mouth is watering. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"I could just pull your hair," suggests James instead, with a shrug. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Or you could just say red?" Teddy grips James's left ankle and pushes his leg up a little. It crooks his knee further and widens the spread of his legs. Teddy can feel his face heating. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Or I could do both?" James counters. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Okay." Teddy nods. He's not sure if James is being facetious or diligent, but either way, this is James's rodeo. He can have as many safety words and moves as he wants. He can have the whole dictionary. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Anything else?" Teddy adds, running his thumb over the inside of James's knee. He's trying not to make this too intimate, or too sexual, but it's a lost cause. James is in his undies, Teddy's going to get turned on by this. They don't have to fuck, this isn't about that really, but it's undeniably there in the periphery, dancing around them impishly in the blurry edges of the dim room. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Just one thing." James licks his lips. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Yeah, anything," replies Teddy, sincerely. He's trying not to be distracted by the feeling of James's skin under his fingers. He thinks he can feel the thrum of the blood in his veins. He's certain he must be imagining it, or he's feeling the thud of his own pulse. It's making it hard to focus all the same. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Say it," James whispers, eyes gleaming in the dim light. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Teddy frowns. "Say what?"_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Go on." Teddy can see the white of James's teeth at he grins, wolfish and pleased. "Say it." _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Teddy's got absolutely no idea what he's talking about. "I don't―"_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"_I vant_―" James starts, in a fucking ridiculous accent, and oh for fuck's sake. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Ughhhhhh." Teddy drops his face onto James's stomach. He groans again, as pointedly loudly as he can with his face smooshed into the material of James's vest. "Are you fucking kidding me, James?" _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _James is cackling like a hyena. "_I vant to suck_―" he tries again through his laughter, and Teddy whacks him on the calf. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Shut up, oh my god, you're a fucking monster." _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"―_Your bloooood_," James quivers out, hiccupping on another laugh. "Fuck. Sorry, Ted." He sighs out one last shaky laugh, grinning like his face is ready to split like a ripe tomato. "I had to." _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"You did fucking not."_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"No, I really, really did." James's hand lands in Teddy's hair. He scritches him on the scalp. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Teddy enjoys it for a moment before lifting his head. He shakes the hair that's flopped over his forehead and cheeks out of his face. "Okay, so is there anything else that is serious?" He tries to keep both any annoyance and also eagerness out of his mouth. He doesn't want to pressure. He can feel his fangs starting to descend a little, small twinges in his incisors as they threaten to lengthen. But still, they can just go back where they came from if James has a change of heart._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _James just spreads his legs a little wider, then lifts his hips off the bed in quick and dirty thrust. "Have at me, Lupin." He doesn't seem bothered with hiding his own eagerness. It's quite refreshing. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _The thing about Teddy's teeth is they are, in essence, exactly how one would imagine them. For all Teddy's bleating about there being a difference between what he is and what Bram Stoker and the telly show as vampires, when it comes to this, there isn't a huge difference at all. No one bit Teddy, turned him into this thing. He's the product of the bite his father suffered, and the effects Remus Lupin lived with for his adult life. Teddy's wondered, before, if this is how vampires came into being in the first place―a wolf bit a human, who turned wolf under the full moon. That human bore a child, not a wolf but still with the urge to bite, the taste blood, to feel the red in tooth and claw and wet it's furred muzzle. Teddy hasn't got a muzzle. He's human under the full moon, every month, no crunching of bones or transformation. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _He _always_ wants blood, though. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _He kisses the soft meat of James's inner thigh, then strokes his fingers along it, feeling out for the rich vein he knows is there. He wants to avoid the artery (there's a big one here, full of proper life blood, and Teddy's not about to pop that and end up with James in the ER. He's never landed someone in St Mungo's, and he'll keep it that way, thank you.)._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Ohh, bit romantic, Ted―_oh_, " James mumbles, before he cuts off with a gasp. His skin gives away easily under the gentle but incredibly sharp press of Teddy's teeth. Blood rushes out immediately. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _It tastes exactly like blood. Nothing special, nothing different than if someone where to cut their finger and suck the wound. Red cells, white cells, plasma and tang. That's how it tastes to Teddy, and would taste to the next guy, and the next. Just blood. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _It also tastes like fucking _heaven_. Teddy's always blindsided by this: by how good it feels, by how different it is to the bagged blood he's rationed out at the Vampire Sustenance Depository on Knockturn Alley. He keeps his lips pressed to James's skin, sucking gently as he counts in his head. One minute is the maximum he'll allow. He's out of his mind a bit with the feel of it, the gentle rabbit-heart flutter of James's pulse under his lips and fingertips, and the soft murmur of his surprised breaths, but he's never so far gone as to forget that this is still dangerous. He's tapped into the core of what makes James tick, keeps him flush and healthy, and there's only so much Teddy can take before it'll be to James's detriment. James is donating blood; Teddy musn't be greedy, even if his nerves and gums are singing with the thrill of it. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Plus if he overdoes it he'll have a roaring fucking stomach ache. Everyone loses. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _When he pulls away, 58 seconds in, he can barely feel his lips. His entire face is a numb and happy tingle, and his fingers fumble a little as he Summons the cotton balls and presses one quickly to the two little pinpricks on James's skin. They're larger than needle points—Teddy's canines are scalpel sharp, but they're still the size of teeth. It won't take long to staunch any blood flow, though. Bit of pressure, and Bob's your uncle. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Fuck me," James mumbles. His eyes are wide and doe-like, pupil's blown and almost eclipsing the iris._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"How you feeling, love?" Teddy's voice sounds thick and a bit foreign to him. It could be the soft ringing in his ears. It could be the lingering blood viscous as it coats his mouth. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Ummmm." James blinks, slow and drowsy. His voice, in contrast to Teddy's, sounds woozy. The apples of his cheeks are rosy and flushed, a blush coursing right down his neck and into the loose collar of his vest. "Yeah, that didn't hurt," he says after a long minute of staring down at Teddy. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Teddy grins back at him. He probably looks like a maniac, blood on his teeth maybe and staining his lips. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _James doesn't seem put off. "Are you gonna give me a biscuit now?" he mumbles. He's a little bit slurry. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Teddy cocks his head to the side. "Huh?"_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"They always…" James rubs his eye like an overtired toddler, draws in a shuddering breath. "Always give me a biscuit at the blood place." James lets his head loll back against the pillow. "Sometimes chocolate milk, too." _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Teddy laughs, then coughs. "Yeah, I can get you that―"_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"No no, stay here," James says quickly, reaching down to Teddy's shoulder. He pulls on it, enough to get Teddy crawling up the bed. Teddy mutters a quick Sticking Charm at the cotton ball to keep it in place. The charm won't really do much for keeping pressure on it, but they should be fine for now. In a little while Teddy will have another look, pop a bit of the antiseptic cream on and cover it with a dressing. He's got a few first aid spells up his sleeve too, which will be handy. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"You actually should eat something though. I've not taken much but―" Teddy can't finish the sentence, too distracted by James's flushed skin. His dick is pressing against his pants, erection going nowhere. It's always like this for him, something animal in him singing at the first sip of blood. Makes sense it always feels sexual. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"No, stay here. Bugger the biscuit," James croaks, pulling Teddy into a cuddle. He's barely dressed and Teddy can see that he's hard too, or halfway there at least. It's not that Teddy didn't notice it before, he's just been trying not to. What with his own state, and the fact he can taste James's blood when he presses his tongue to the corner of his lips or runs it over his throbbing gums―well Teddy's not really sure what's going to happen from here. Above all, he wants to make sure James isn't feeling too wozzy, keep him comfy, give him a proper cuddle sesh. He can get off later, when James is asleep. The bathroom is just around the corner, and Teddy's not above having a wank in there while James is in the other room at all._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Sure, James. I'm not going anywhere." He rubs at James's shoulder, shifting them both a little so that Teddy is on his back and James can lie against his chest. He curves his hand into the soft hair at James's neck, pressing two fingers softly against his pulse point. His heart rate is even and sure. It's deeply comforting to Teddy, and a sure sign he's not gone too far. He wasn't really worried he had, but still. It's nice to be sure. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _He keeps his fingers pressing gently against James's pulse, while James's tangly hair falls over the back of his hand. Steady heart rate, soft skin. Teddy's mouth tastes like blood. It lingers around the backs of his teeth, over his tongue. His mouth feels sloppy with it, his teeth too big, his limbs tense and relaxed all at once. He can feel the weight of James's gaze on the side of his face. His body is a bit of a dead weight, one leg thrown half over Teddy's and his arm across Teddy's stomach. He's breathing like he's ready to fall asleep, his expression watchful but still a little zoned out. His fingers are slightly cold and a total surprise, as they sneak under the waistband of Teddy's trackies and down into his pants. Teddy's startles a little as they touch the length of his cock, then wrap loosely around it. Teddy's stupid hard, apparently all the blood in his own body headed south as soon as James's blood touched his tongue_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Woah, James, you don't have to―"_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"I know." _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Teddy fights to keep his hips still. It doesn't work at all. "Like, really, I'll just―"_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Do you not want me to?" James stills his hand, waiting for an answer. "Like actually?"_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Err." Teddy's a shitty, shitty liar, so he's not even going to bother. "No, I'm definitely up for it."_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Cool." James presses his face against Teddy's shoulder then begins working his fist up and down Teddy's cock. "'Cos I really want to. And I don't do stuff I don't want to." He kisses Teddy's shoulder. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Probably going to take about, _fuck_, two seconds from here," he rumbles out. His toes are already straining, his thighs getting tense. He can feel his orgasm tumbling up from the base of his spine, all his nerves singing. They already were, have been since that first nip of teeth. "Just a heads up."_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Not like you to have a hair trigger, Ted," James teases. "I'm okay with that, though," he carries on, conversational even as his hand pumps faster, the waistband of Teddy's trackies leaving marks against his wrist. "I'm horny, but I'm also, like, really knackered." He laughs, then surprises them both when his mouth stretches into a yawn. He stifles it against Teddy's shoulder, and Teddy bursts into shocked laughter._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _He's still laughing when he comes, seconds later, gasping on the edge of the burbled mirth. His vision goes wonky for a second, the pleasure in his cock an almost excruciating counterpoint to the pleasure he was already feeling from the splash of blood on his teeth. It's close to too much, but in the best possible way. His toes curl and his knees bend and goosebumps prickle over his arms and legs. His head is spinning. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _James is smiling as he slows his hand down, Teddy's cock twitching in his fingers with oversensitive twinges. "Never made someone come by yawning at them before," he mumbles, grinning now. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Shut up. Do you. Fuck. Gimme a sec." Teddy takes a moment to catch his breath. "Do you want me to―"_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"Nah." James laughs again, rubbing his cheek against Teddy's top. "Told you, I'm horned up but also ready for a nap." He laughs and rubs his face over Teddy again, like a sleepy cat. He looks like he's struggling to keep his eyes open. "I'm good. I'm so good,” he repeats. “I'll stay the night here, though, and you can sort me out in the morning? I'll be well up for it then." _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _He sounds like he's already dropping off to sleep. Teddy hugs him a little tighter, grateful and sentimental and post-orgasm blissed out. There's a mess in his pants that needs sorting, and he should have a look at James's leg again, but for now he's content to cuddle. James is warm and heavy and lovely. Teddy feels warm all over. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Teddy says, "Sure thing, Jamie," and falls asleep to the soft thump of James's pulse against his fingertips. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _***_ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> This work is part of the 2019 HP Next Gen Fest.


End file.
